Insanity
by Hela'shotasHades
Summary: Hermione Granger,foremost expert on Veelas, has been hired by the Ministy of Magic to hunt down a rogue Male Veela who has blown the Statute of Secrecy to smithereens. After obtaining a piece of evidence from an old friend, she finds herself at St. Mungo's, speaking to an insane Draco Malfoy. Rated T to be safe.
1. Prologue

Hermione ducked down as the winged beast that the Muggles were calling the Wrath of God flew overhead, screeching like a banshee, blazing a path through foliage, homes, steel bunkers. It didn't matter. Everything in it's path was destroyed. The fact that even the Muggles knew about this beast meant the worst breach of the Statute of Secrecy in the history of the Statute of Secrecy. She had been roughing it for months in the Danger Zone, where wizards and Muggles alike managed to herd the furious animal. For that was what it was, now. The animal smashed the few remaining structures with its wings, arms, legs, anything really. She looked at a shard of glass left unscathed by her hiding area, seeing the hideous scars the beast had given her on her face. It had cut her face apart, spitting venom into the cuts, ensuring permanent scarring. Four sharp talons had cut four scars into both sides of her face, leaving her with a face that seemed to be perpetually crying. How fitting, she thought. While the rest of the world had moved on, she had been stuck in the brokenness of her life. Her birth family, its foundation cracked to its very core. Her foster family, the most accepting of her different-ness, turning her down because she didn't conform. And her broken heart, its big size still unable to find some way to forgive the cheating bastard she had once proudly called her husband. And she cried, droplets flowing through the rivulets on her face as the Veela continued to rampage, blast, smite and wither.

Perhaps the two were not as different as she liked to believe.

*end of flashback*


	2. Cherie Locke

"Minister, I understand this is a major breach in the Statute of Secrecy, and that not many would help us, preferring to blame us for this disaster, I require assistance.", said Hermione. "I know a very trustworthy and observant woman by the name of Samantha Massi. She is one of the most intuitive and perceptive people I have ever had the honor of knowing."

"Is she a Muggle?.", Kingsley asked, eying Hermione suspiciously.

"Yes... Why?", Hermione asked, confused.

"Cherie Locke is the world's best Auror-slash-Hit-Wizard. She is infinitely more preferable than that Muggle. Besides, isn't she your friend?", said Kingsley.

"I don't know… Cher doesn't usually take my cases… She and I didn't leave on favorable terms..."

"Nonsense. We'll book an appointment. I'm sure she wouldn't pass up a chance to reunite with her childhood friend." _And possibly work for the Ministry,_ Kingsley added silently.

Hermione sighed. She had tried. Cherie would not take too kindly to her showing up at her doorstep.

"What the hell are you doing here, Hermione? I thought I told you to stay away, you man-stealing whore!"

"Cherie, he cheated on me, too. Krum is a cheating bastard who should go rot in hell! Besides, there's a Male Veela running loose. None of us can capture him. You know that quarantined area with the new virus in Britain? That's actually the danger zone. If you go in there, there's a pretty good chance you're never getting out. We need help."

Cherie closed her eyes for a second, snapped them open and said, "Fine. I'm game. But not because you asked me. Because this'll be fun!", she squealed. Cherie had that demonic gleam in her eye that she used to get when tracking down somebody's lost pet. "Hand over the evidence, My, and hope this case isn't simple, otherwise you are dead."

After around an hour of examining the map, Cherie muttered, "Bingo!"

Hermione's bushy head jerked up from her book. "What? Did you find anything?"

Cherie smirked. "Darling, don't pretend you weren't sleeping. Of course, my indecipherable mutterings _are_ rather soothing… In any case, the Veela and you seem to both be analyzing each other's positioning patterns and following them. Hermione, you're tracking the Veela, but he's tracking you, too. The likelihood is that you are the greatest threat to his mate at any given time. Where do you spend most of your time?"

"I guess St. Mungo's long term resident ward. It's a bunker now, for the injured. It's quiet there."

"Perfect. Let's go interrogate some insane people!"


	3. Healer Rochester

The first ten interrogations were pointless. Half of the interrogated had some sort of damper on their memories, while the other half babbled endlessly about strange topics. Then a only slightly familiar person was carted in, tied to a stiff board, with some sort of face mask to prevent biting, a straitjacket, and an angry glare at his handlers. An only slightly muffled, "If I'm going to be interrogated, shouldn't you take this unnecessary, ridiculous mask off? I'm not going to kill someone with my teeth."

This had been the most sensible thing said in hours, including the Healer's response.

The Healer said somewhat snappishly, "We won't take the risk."

"You're not taking a risk. _They_ are. It's their decision. Get this mask off, and I'll talk. Otherwise, no amount of Crucios are going to get that information out of me. Merlin knows I'm practically immune by now, it's as if they think driving me mad will be the way to make me sane." The last comment was in an undertone, but it was loud enough to be heard. The Healer calmly stated, "Miss Locke, as you can clearly see, he is stark raving mad.", but was cut off by Cherie's hand.

Cherie looked at the woman icily. "Mrs. Rochester, however, it is standard procedure to release prisoners from all impediments, magical and physical. I trust you will follow procedure?"

Healer Rochester cleared her throat. "Miss Locke, he has inherited Bellatrix Syndrome, named after the first case- Bellatrix Lestrange. Under such circumstances, we do not advise removing his restraints."

Hermione nodded. "Will the code of confidentiality be followed as well?"

The Healer nodded. "We have never had any problems with this patient while he was under restraints, other than a rather smart mouth, easily solved with a threat of more restraints."

Healer Rochester seemed a little bit too excited at the thought of more restraints.

'Dismissed.", Cherie ordered, and the short, lean Healer with black ringlets reminiscent of Bellatrix Lestrange herself bounded out the door. As soon as the door was shut and diagnostic spells ran, Hermione cut off the man's restraints. The man stretched his arms, showing off alabaster skin marred by a light grey mark that hadn't been seen since he had been carted off, hissing and spitting at the conclusion of the Battle of Hogwarts.

" _Malfoy?!"_


	4. The Interrogation

"Hello. I do believe that is my given name, yes? Or is it? They say I talk to things that don't exist. You exist, don't you?", said Malfoy to a dumbfounded Hermione Granger. "I like Healer Lovegood. She understands being called insane. She says to ignore it, but if I ignore it, I'd be more insane.", Malfoy reasoned.

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "Who the hell are you and what have you done to Malfoy?"

"I haven't done anything. The Healers have. They keep Hermes sedated.", said Malfoy, earnestly.

"What does that have to do with anything?", asked Hermione, still slightly defensive.

"Hermes was my best friend. We were inseparable since birth. He wore his heart on his sleeve, was rash, impulsive, a role-model Gryffindor. I think that's because he was a Veela.

I taught him how to control his expression, how to look smug when you were really dying inside, how to distance himself from reality. It hurts too much to use those lessons anymore. They keep Hermes locked away, sedated, because he went crazy when his mate unknowingly got magically married to another man. They say Hermes doesn't exist. But he does. The sedatives are weakening. Soon, he'll be able to show the world that he _does_ exist."

This time Cherie locked eyes with Malfoy, saying, "Why are you telling us all this?"

"Whenever I ask the people who don't exist if they exist, they don't answer. Whenever I ask the people who _do_ exist if they exist, they say that yes, they do. You don't exist. Therefore I can get this load off my back by telling it to someone, even if they are in my imagination."

Cherie glanced at the clock. "I believe that is all."

Malfoy trotted out the door.

Hermione turned to her childhood friend. "What do you think?"

Cherie's brow was furrowed, as if she was still analyzing the Malfoy's body language, tone, and words themselves. Then her face cleared. "I think this case just got interesting. Malfoy seems like he's completely sane, but people repeatedly tell him he's insane, so he actually believes he's insane. I think he found out about Hermes, and that either all the Healers are in on it, or a few were, and passed their false diagnosis onto their underlings."

"That's pretty complicated. I don't think the Healers would lie."

Cherie sighed nostalgically. "Ah, young naivete. I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but people lie."

"Says the Slytherin charlatan.", Hermione retorted. It was arguments like these that made life a tad more interesting.

"Gryffindork."

"Slimy snake."

"Bushy-haired know-it-all."

"Hairy-hearted psychopathic freak."

"Actually, I'm a high-functioning sociopath, Mya, get it right."

"Shut up."

"Do you think you would get that lucky?"

"Nope. Anyway, back to the case at hand. He mentioned Healer Lovegood. I don't think Luna's a Healer, is she?"

"Actually, she is, part-time. She specializes in ailments of the psyche and mind, according to the Healer Registry. Do you think we could interview her?"

"With the mountain of paperwork Kingsley has to get done, I doubt he'll notice if I drop an extra one or two forms in his office."


	5. Luna

"Hermione. I was wondering when you'd come. The Nargles tell me you need help with something. Oh! You brought a friend! I have nothing against those who see the Nargles next to girls."

"No! It's fine, Luna. She's just a friend helping me out. I need to know about Draco Malfoy."

"Your Nargles are excited. Do you like him?"

"NO! We are _not_ discussing my love life here. I just wanted to see your diagnosis of Malfoy." Luna quirked an eyebrow knowingly, as Cherie stared confusedly at the two of them.

"What's going on?", said Cherie.

"Nargles are mischievous little sprites, who like to hide your things and infest mistletoe."

"Nargles are the physical manifestation of love, which makes you forgetful and want to kiss under mistletoe.", Hermione translated.

"Oh. So, Luna, what's your diagnosis?", asked Cherie.

"He's as sane as you or me.", Luna said evasively.

"Luna, do you know anything about Hermes?", asked Hermione.

"Hermes D'Amour, as far as I know, does not exist. Maybe he's like a nargle?"

"Is there a Healer Rochester?", questioned Cherie.

"No. Bertha Rochester is _the_ most sadistic person I've ever met since Bellatrix Lestrange."replied Luna, as Hermione shuddered. "I specialize in matters of the mind, Hermione, Bertha was left by her husband, and she degenerated from mind is cracked, but the pattern suggests that she's going senile. Malfoy, though, won't let us into his memories, and every time I try to fix his cracked mind, he purposely cracks it again. He doesn't _want_ to see clearly."

"Thank you.", said Cherie, politely. "Where do you keep the Floo powder?"

"Over by the Wrackspurt-catcher.", Luna said, and Hermione reached over to a small pot by a dream-catcher.

"St. Mungo's!", Hermione called, and in a puff of ashes, she was gone.


	6. Harry and Co

Hermione felt dizzy, but she had to….. had to wake up… She let out a guttural groan as she tried to get up to no avail. Footsteps pounded towards her. Something loosened, allowing her to sit up and blearily stare at the concerned faces before her.

"Water….", she croaked.

Ginny conjured a glass of water for Hermione, who gratefully drank the water. After Hermione had finished, Harry asked, "What's going on, Hermione? Cherie said that you had something to tell us."

She mentally groaned. "Cherie is right. I do have something to tell you, but I don't think you'll like this."

Ron gave a small smile, saying, "There's only one way to find out. I'm over the Krum thing, 'Mione."

Cherie came in, kissing Ron on the cheek. "I heard Hermione's awake. Good evening, sunshine! Also, if you aren't going to tell them, I will."

Hermione's eyes widened. "No. You wouldn't."

"You know I would." came the succinct reply.

"Fine. You know that Veela I've been trying to track down? Apparently Malfoy was a Veela and the Healers put the separation technique I came up with into place. His consciousness is in place in a separate body, but his Veela was sedated for awhile and the sedatives lost their potency, so he blasted out. And," Hermione cringed. "It appears that I would be his mate."

Everyone went stock-still. Harry broke the silence with a barely whispered, "What?"

Hermione nervously replied with a, "I am his ma-"

"No, no, I know what you said, but, 'Mione, how come we never heard about this before?", said Harry.

"Yeah," Ron chimed in.

"I, for one think that it's great. After Krum and, sorry, Ron, Hermione deserves a man that she knows will always be faithful and there for the rest of her life.", Ginny said.

Cherie cut in with her usual acerbic and business-like manner. "It would appear that he went over the edge when you and Ron kissed at the end of the Battle of Hogwarts."

Nobody was listening. Ginny had pulled Harry and Ron aside, and they were whispering frantically. Cherie discreetly walked over to eavesdrop. Harry gestured at Hermione's face and Ron nodded. Ginny scowled, and whacked them over the head. A small bubble floated from Cherie's wand. It popped in Hermione's ear.

" _Look at her face… He wouldn't have if he were… You know as well as I do… *whack* Let her finish….. We don't know…."_

The slightly uncomfortable feeling of having a liquid in one's ear vanished, and Hermione knew that the message was done. Then Harry, Ron and Ginny re-approached the bed.

Ginny said, "Sorry about Harry and Ron, Hermione. I think you broke them. Fred and George will be really happy. They made a couple bets and lost about five hundred galleons when you married Krum."

"Thanks, Gin.", said Hermione.

Suddenly, the door was pushed open.

"Speak of the devil.", Cherie said.


	7. AN (Sorry! Please don't kill me!)

Sorry... No updates... I have absolutely no clue what to do next... If you have any suggestions, please leave me them in a review


	8. Huh?

Fred and George walked in, with ear-to-ear grins. Coins jingled in their pockets. "Hermione! We are so happy for your discovery!", they said in unison, with two matching innocent grins.

"Oh, cut it out, you two. We both know that the only reason you're happy is because you just earned yourself five-thousand galleons.", Ginny smiled fondly **(A/N: Yes, Fred is alive.)**

Fred glared at her with mock-betrayal. "You think that we would only be happy for one of our very best friends getting hitched with her soulmate because we would win money off it?"

"Nope.", said Hermione, popping the 'p'. "But I do think the only reason they'd congratulate her on that would be that you win five thousand galleons."

Fred and George looked suitably chastised.

Cherie sighed melodramatically. "Just like old times, when I was trying to keep a nasty tramp away from a man."

She glared pointedly at Hermione, who had the grace to blush.

"Sorry, Cherie. Didn't dearest Vicky tell you it was a one-time thing?", Hermione said sweetly.

Cherie studied Hermione's face carefully. "Nice try. I almost believed you. You're getting better at this 'lying' thing."

Harry, Ginny, Fred, George, and Ron all gasped dramatically on cue.

"Ickle Hermione is-"

"-all grown up now!"

"We're-"

"-so proud-

"-of her! She's-"

"-learned how-"

"-to-"

"-lie!", said Fred and George.

Ginny informed Hermione that people were more convincing when they lied if they had a full bladder. "Do you need me to bring you to the washroom?"

Harry and Ron opened their mouths to add another scandalized comment when Hermione said, "Oh, shut your mouths, the lot of you. You all know perfectly well that I can lie. How exactly do I get Malfoy to accept the bond, first of all, and second, HOW THE BLOODY

HELL DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DEAL WITH THE DAMNED FACT THAT I'M STILL BLOODY MARRIED TO KRUM?!"

"What?", asked Harry, confused, probably voicing the sentiment of the rest of the room.


	9. Chapter 9

Cherie took over, explaining that the only reason the Veela would still be loose after she left Krum would be if she was still in a romantic relationship. This obviously not being the case, that meant that something still tied her to somebody. The only thing that could be considered that something would be a soul bond or a marriage.

The room went dead silent again, but this time nobody was planning on trying to joke to lighten the mood. Fred and George made a convenient excuse, something about customers, and a new invention, and made a smooth exit.

Cherie quietly ran her hand through Hermione's hair, reminiscent of when Cherie was eleven, and oft played babysitter for her five-year-old friend. The motion was interestingly soothing for the both of them, as if they were younger, and playing Nancy Drew. Cherie would always play the good, kind unexpected villain, and the mean, snotty good person, while Hermione always played Nancy. Hermione always wanted to be a princess in shining armor, and she had a strict code of chivalry for herself and never, ever cursed, unless she was in undignified company. And Cherie knew that she generally never considered her company undignified unless she was very upset.

Cherie liked to think of herself as the poker-faced seductress with her own agenda. Cherie, since she had gone to 'boarding school' had stopped being so affectionate towards Hermione, who had discovered that when she had thrown herself at Cherie on her first day back, and Cherie had nearly taken her eye out with her wand, courtesy of pure-blood supremacists.

It was frightening to Cherie how quickly Hermione was falling for the damsel-in-distress schtick. Cherie would have been up- everything tensed, worried, face scrunched in cynical skepticism. Come to think of it, Cherie was already tensed, worried, and skeptical. She was no fool. She'd seen the reports. It was fast. Destructive. People had set it loose on purpose. For what reason she knew not. It was contained, for now. If they could calm the Veela, perhaps they could have a chance at saving the world. All the same, she saw the scars on her face, and it worried her. Trust only goes so far.

"I'm tired.", Hermione thought, forcing herself off the bed. "I will finish this."

Slowly, she found her wand, and tottered past the night witch, who never noticed a thing.

Down the hall, across the floor, into the Floo.

"Malfoy Manor!"


	10. Chapter 10

p style="text-align: left;"I have lost my muse for this story. Perhaps I will return to it at a later date, but I would like to tell all of you out there waiting for another chapter, (and believe me, I am flattered), that I am not returning to this story. I have posted the last of what I had written, though the story, as most of my stories from this time period are, is fairly bad. /p 


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